Two House Democrats introduced the Establishing and Developing University Cannabis Agriculture Techniques and Excellence (EDUCATE) Act of 2026 last week, directing federal cannabis research grants and student scholarships to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).
Reps. Troy Carter (D-LA) and Dina Titus (D-NV) sponsored the bill. Under the legislation, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would award competitive grants for marijuana cultivation and processing research, covering: optimization of cultivation and harvesting practices; soil health, water conservation, pest management, and sustainability impacts; economic development opportunities for minority and disadvantaged farmers in emerging marijuana markets; and workforce development, training, and extension activities.
The bill authorizes $5 million annually for those grants from fiscal years 2026 through 2030, with at least 25 percent reserved for HSIs. Priority would go to institutions that partner with minority and small-scale farmers or community-based agricultural organizations.
The EDUCATE Act would also create a Marijuana Agriculture Studies Scholarship Program offering up to $10,000 per year to undergraduate or graduate students at HBCUs and HSIs studying food and agricultural sciences and intending to pursue "a career in marijuana or hemp agriculture, marijuana cultivation, plant science, agricultural technology, agricultural science, or agricultural policy." USDA could spend up to $100,000 annually on scholarships through fiscal year 2030.
USDA would be required to submit annual reports to Congress on awarded grants, funded studies, and scholarship participation. The bill also protects institutions and individuals receiving funds from denial of federal benefits, prosecution, or civil penalties for marijuana-related activities under the legislation.
"The legal, responsible use of cannabis has been a major economic driver in Nevada and across the country and deserves further research," Titus said. "The EDUCATE Act would enable students to explore and study jobs in the cultivation, research, business, and policy sectors of the legal marijuana market by providing federal funding to institutions of higher education."
